Afro-soul is a music genre that has African characteristics of

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...

. It has emotional vocals, especially of the lead singer.

Notable musicians

Brymo Ọlawale Ọlọfọrọ (born Olawale Ibrahim Ashimi; 9 May 1986), better known as Brymo, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, sound artist, sonic artist, actor and author who was born and raised in Okokomaiko. Brymo started recording music in ...

, Nigerian singer *

Miriam Makeba Zenzile Miriam Makeba ( , ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, ja ...

, a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

-winning South African singer and

civil rights activist Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

* Zahara, South African singer *

Efya Jane Fara Fauzzier Afia Boafowaa Yahaya Awindor (born April 10, 1987), better known as Efya, is a Ghanaian people, Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and actress from Kumasi. She is the daughter of Nana Adwoa Awindor, a filmmaker and celebrity host of ...

, Ghanaian singer *

Amanda Black Amanda Benedicta Antony (born 24 July 1993), known professionally as Amanda Black, is a South African singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Gcuwa, her career began in 1999 at the age of 6 singing in church choirs. Amanda was a contestant o ...

, multi award-winning songstress from South Africa *

Simphiwe Dana Simphiwe Dana (born 23 January 1980) is a South African singer and songwriter who works mostly in her mother tongue, the Xhosa language. Dana is also known for her creative social commentary and activism through music as a political art form. Her ...

, praised as "the best thing to happen to Afro-soul music since Miriam Makeba" * Nathi Mankayi * Libianca, Cameroonian-American singer * Lira (singer) *

Muma Gee Gift Iyumame Eke (née Uwame; born 18 November 1978), professionally known as Muma Gee (), meaning "do good Gift", is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, fashion designer, television personality and politician. She was born, r ...

, Nigerian singer * Scelo Gowane, South African singer * Siphokazi, a South African artist *

Les Nubians Les Nubians is a French musical duo, composed of sisters Hélène and Célia Faussart from Paris, France. In 1985, the sisters moved with their parents to Chad. Seven years later, they returned to Bordeaux, France, and began singing a cappella, p ...

, the French born sisters who are Afropean music singers *

The Budos Band The Budos Band is an American instrumental band from Staten Island, New York, formed in 2005. AllMusic describes the group as a "doom rock Afro-soul big band with a '70s touch" that joins "musical universes from trippy psychedelia and Afro-funk ...

* K'naan *

Ginger Johnson Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

Doug Kazé Douglas Eric Kazé (born 24 February 1979), better known as Doug Kazé, is a Nigerian musician. Early life and education Doug was born in 1979 to David and Margaret Kaze in Jos, Nigeria. He is the third of seven children. He attended primary sc ...

, Nigerian singer-songwriter *

Manu Dibango Emmanuel N'Djoké "Manu" Dibango (12 December 1933 – 24 March 2020) was a Cameroonian musician and songwriter who played saxophone and vibraphone. He developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music. His father w ...

, from

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

* Nomfusi, South African artist * Lekan Babalola * Grace Matata, Tanzanian afro-soul singer * Kumbie, Zimbabwean Singer/Songwriter *

Joe Nina Makhosini Henry Xaba (born 12 June 1974), better known by stage name Joe Nina, is a popular South African singer. In 1997 he wrote the theme song for, and joined the cast, of Les Blair's Channel Four Films improv comedy film ''Jump the Gun''. ...

,South Africa Singer/Songwriter

References

Soul music genres {{music-genre-stub